DAILY MAIL COMMENT: We salute Prince Philip, a father to our nation

Prince Philip has been such a constant and colourful feature of British life for so long it’s almost impossible to believe he’s no longer with us.

Loved and admired in equal measure, his name has been synonymous with duty and public service since his marriage to the Queen 74 years ago.

His sad passing, nine weeks before his 100th birthday, marks the closing of a cherished chapter in our national story.

In a moving statement, Buckingham Palace expressed ‘deep sorrow’ – a sentiment echoing the profound sense of loss felt across Britain and on every continent 

His sad passing, nine weeks before his 100th birthday, marks the closing of a cherished chapter in our national story   (Duke of Edinburgh's death is displayed on the large screen at Piccadilly Circus on April 09, 2021)

His sad passing, nine weeks before his 100th birthday, marks the closing of a cherished chapter in our national story   (Duke of Edinburgh’s death is displayed on the large screen at Piccadilly Circus on April 09, 2021)

The Prince has been the Queen's confidant, adviser, comforter, morale-booster and, above all, as she put it, her ‘strength and stay’. (Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh watch a flypast of Spitfire & Hurricane aircraft for the 75th Anniversary of The Battle of Britain on July 10, 2015)

The Prince has been the Queen’s confidant, adviser, comforter, morale-booster and, above all, as she put it, her ‘strength and stay’. (Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh watch a flypast of Spitfire & Hurricane aircraft for the 75th Anniversary of The Battle of Britain on July 10, 2015)

It’s hard to imagine we’ll see his like again. He was of the Greatest Generation, and he was one of its best.

Doughty and irrepressible to the end, the Duke of Edinburgh died peacefully at Windsor Castle, family close by, fittingly on a beautiful spring morning.

In a moving statement, Buckingham Palace expressed ‘deep sorrow’ – a sentiment echoing the profound sense of loss felt across Britain and on every continent.

On a day of such unhappiness, it must have comforted the Queen that her beloved husband was back at home after spending a month in hospital.

A distinguished and decorated war veteran, Philip unselfishly eschewed personal ambition – he was tipped for the very top in the Navy – for royal duty.

In public, he has walked a discreet step behind through the 69 years of his wife’s reign, content to play the supporting role. In private, though, this was unquestionably a partnership of equals.

He has been her confidant, adviser, comforter, morale-booster and, above all, as she put it, her ‘strength and stay’.

His job ‘first, second and last’, he would say, was ‘never to let her down’. That Her Majesty has reigned so successfully, calmly and faultlessly for such a remarkable span of time is proof he never did.

It would be wrong, however, to pigeonhole Philip as merely the longest-serving royal consort in British history – little more than a monarchical footnote.

He was a brilliant man in his own right, possessing many gifts. He could fly a jet as well as command a ship, was a talented sportsman, a skilled painter and had an excellent grasp of science.

Like so many of his generation, the duke didn’t suffer fools gladly and had little truck with political correctness. His plain speaking could cause controversy.

But beyond a brusque exterior, he was a deep thinker and an innovator. Possessing a core of steel and courage in spades (as a young naval officer he was praised for his actions in the decisive sea battle against the Italian fleet), he embodied resilience and fortitude.

These self-same values not only helped Britain navigate the hardship of the Second World War – they spurred, to a very striking degree, our subsequent economic and social renaissance.

Yes, Philip lived a life of incredible privilege. But his personal legacy to the nation is impossible to exaggerate.

Philip embodied self-sacrifice, family values and devotion to duty and stands as a font of inspiration. (Prince Philip, Prince Harry, The Queen, Doria Ragland, Meghan Markle, and baby Archie)

Philip embodied self-sacrifice, family values and devotion to duty and stands as a font of inspiration. (Prince Philip, Prince Harry, The Queen, Doria Ragland, Meghan Markle, and baby Archie)

Without his and the Queen’s steady hand, the shape of Britain in 2021 might be inexpressibly different – and not for the better. (Queen Elizabeth II, left, and Prince Philip walk through the field of ceramic poppies at The Tower of London)

Without his and the Queen’s steady hand, the shape of Britain in 2021 might be inexpressibly different – and not for the better. (Queen Elizabeth II, left, and Prince Philip walk through the field of ceramic poppies at The Tower of London)

Quite apart from his royal role, which he stepped back from only four years ago at the age of 96, this was a man of vision and substance. (Pictured, Prince Philip leaves the King Edward VII hospital in the back of a car in London on March 18, 2021)

Quite apart from his royal role, which he stepped back from only four years ago at the age of 96, this was a man of vision and substance. (Pictured, Prince Philip leaves the King Edward VII hospital in the back of a car in London on March 18, 2021)

One of the last connections to an era which included the Victorians, he – like a sculptor with clay – helped mould the monarchy to modernity, shoring it up when republicanism seemed to be on the march.

Without his and the Queen’s steady hand, the shape of Britain in 2021 might be inexpressibly different – and not for the better.

As a result, this 1,000-year-old institution, as Boris Johnson reflected, ‘remains indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life’.

Not content to be some mere appendage after his wife came to the throne, the duke carved a niche from which he could help transform our planet and change the lives of individuals.

He paved the way for Greenpeace and other modern conservation groups with his central role in the creation of the World Wildlife Fund, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme remains a torch of achievement for young people in many countries.

His stewardship of the National Playing Fields Association has given millions of children somewhere to play organised sport. As a patron to nearly 800 organisations, his sense of obligation has been unmatched (his wife excepted).

Quite apart from his royal role, which he stepped back from only four years ago at the age of 96, this was a man of vision and substance.

Despite his advancing years, the duke remained a totemic member of the Royal Family. He was not just a national treasure, but a towering father figure to the country.

How else to explain the tsunami of affection and sadness following his passing? Members of all generations – from young children to great-grandparents – laid floral tributes in his memory.

True, his family has known tribulations, not least recently. But through it all he has been a rock of support for his wife and sovereign.

As an invaluable asset to the monarchy, it is a terrible sadness that he didn’t reach his centenary (although the abrupt duke would doubtlessly have been nonplussed by such fuss). But his shadow will cast a positive influence lasting well beyond his years.

Philip embodied self-sacrifice, family values and devotion to duty and stands as a font of inspiration. Not just to younger royals, but the whole nation and millions worldwide.

We mourn his passing, but salute his extraordinary life.